The Olympus Stylus XZ-10 incorporates many of the same features of the flagship XZ-2 in what the company calls “a stealthier body.” The high-end compact features a bright f/1.8 to f/2.7 zoom lens, pro-style manual settings, ISO 6400, 12-megapixel backlit CMOS sensor, and TruePic VI image processor.

The 26-130 mm (equivalent) iZuiko Digital 5x optical zoom lens fits into a body that is about 40 percent smaller by volume than its predecessor.

Even at high ISO settings, says the company, iHS technologies deliver low noise and radiant colours with crisp details and rich gradation in both dark and light parts of the frame.

XZ-10 upgrades include 120 fps high-speed HD movie recording and Photo Story, which shoots a group of still photos straight into attractive, prepared layouts that are ready for sharing via FlashAir without the need for more work on a computer.

Modes like Handheld Starlight with Flash make blur-free shooting without a tripod possible even in difficult lighting, and HDR Backlight Adjustment for ideal exposure when shooting against the light.

Just like the XZ-2, the XZ-10 has a customizable control ring around the lens so users can adjust key settings such as aperture and exposure time manually without having to take their eye off the subject. Alternatively, users can assign ISO or metering to the Fn button on the back of the camera.

Basic operations and settings, starting with touch controls and Live Guide, as well as a graphic user interface, will be familiar to Olympus Pen and OM-D shooters.

Instantly activate the Touch AF Shutter function to select the subject you want to focus on and activate the shutter simply by touching the LCD screen. With a tap of the finger, it can focus on fast-moving subjects and trigger the shot.

The 1080p Full HD Movie capability with stereo sound captures movies in the best quality currently available in compact cameras, notes Olympus. Multi-Motion Movie IS image stabilization corrects for the common gradual camera shake that occurs when shooting on the move, delivering more stable, higher-quality movies. That’s 1920 x 1080 and MOV/H.264 movie compression.

Users can share their images on a big-screen HDTV in high definition using an optional HDMI cable or on their social networks using the Olympus Image Share smartphone app (via optional Toshiba FlashAir SDHC card or optional Eye-Fi Card).